CKHA limits new admissions to unit to prevent infection

Focused on patient safety, Chatham-Kent Health Alliance will temporarily hold admissions to the Complex Continuing Care unit at Sydenham campus to new admissions due to a MRSA outbreak. Admissions will be re-evaluated once the hospital has co-located identified patients with Methicillin-Resistant Staphyloccoccus aureus (MRSA) in a specific wing of the hospital rather than placement throughout the unit. Enhanced cleaning measures are also in effect to further contain the situation.

Carol Turner, Coordinator, Infection Prevention and Control said, “We’ve identified one new case of MRSA this week. New control measures will be put into place and testing for MRSA will be repeated over the next two weeks to determine if these measures have been successful in controlling the spread.” She explained that the results from the testing will determine when the visitor restrictions are lifted and then patients and patients’ families will be notified.

Since December 3, 2010, nine cases of healthcare associated MRSA have been identified on this unit. Staff and physicians of CKHA are working diligently to reduce spread and stop the chain of transmission. A number of measures were put into place when the first cases of MRSA were identified. These include:

• ensuring performance of routine practices

• educating patients and visitors on the importance of hand hygiene and use of equipment to protect themselves from infection

• restricting visitors to two per patient

• limiting the in-hospital travel of patients with MRSA.

In addition to visitor restrictions, the following preventative measures will remain in place at Sydenham campus:

• Patients are allowed a maximum of 2 visitors.

• Visitors are asked to sign-in at the Nurses station, upon arrival.

• Visitors will be asked to watch a personal protective equipment video before visiting a patient. This helps ensure visitor and patient safety.

• A long-sleeved gown and gloves must be worn by everyone who cares for a patient, in hospital and at home.

• Visitors are asked to wash hands upon entrance and exit at the waterless handwash stations. Use alcohol-based hand rub, prior to entering the patient room and upon leaving the patient room.

Turner stresses, “It is very important to follow these measures when visiting loved ones in hospital to limit the spread of this organism in the environment.”

All Clinics and other services will continue to run as normal at both campuses.

For more information about MRSA, visit http://www.health.gov.on.ca/patient_safety/public/mrsa/mrsa_pub_fs.html